Taylor Ever After?

"What about Gary?"

Aaron and Karen arrive at her apartment only five minutes apart. He Is banging on her door with his fist so hard that the neighbors have started peeking through their doors at the scene.

"Karen! I know you're home! Open the door!" Aaron is looking like a raging bull knocking at Karen's door.

Karen hears the commotion on the other side of her door and walks nervously to it. She recognizes the voice but not the anger he is displaying. Karen opens the door slowly. Aaron pushes past her and enters the apartment.

"What are you doing here?" Karen is watching Aaron pace back and forth confused by his behavior.

Aaron stops his pacing and looks Karen square in the eyes. "You Fucked Gary." It wasn't a question. It was a declaration. Aaron stared at Karen with a feeling he's never had with her before. Disgust.

Karen's eyes bulge out of her head. She can't find words. "Aaron...I...."

"Wow. You're fucking unbelievable!" Aaron begins pacing again. "You really don't give a shit about anyone but yourself! Andi is your best friend. Zac is the love of your life and me. I don't even know what you'd call me. Hell..stupid is what you'd call me." Aaron throws his head back and laughs maniacally. He composes himself before delivering his last words. "I would have given you the world, but you deserve the gutter Zac had you in for the last three years. Lose my fucking number, Karen. Aaron storms out of the apartment leaving the door wide open. Karen's neighbors are caught staring from the hall.

**********

Zac pulls into the driveway of their townhome. Fatima faked being asleep during the drive so Zac wouldn't bring up the phone call. He taps her lightly "We're home sleepy head."

Fatima fakes a stretch. "Finally. I can't wait to shower and get in bed."

Zac gets out and walks around to the passenger side. "Yea me either. Shower together?"

She looks at her husband knowingly "you know of you get in that shower with me, we ain't going to bed. Not tonight."

Zac shakes his head. "Baby, Im too tired. Trust me. Shower then bed is all I have left." Zac says dropping his car keys onto the kitchen countertop.

They've entered the shower and Fatima decides she needs to come clean. She is nervous because she knows that however Zac reacts is going to affect them one way or another.

Fatima turns around to face Zac. She draws him in close with her hands on his shoulders. " Babe, I need to tell you something. Before I do, I need you to promise me that you will not do anything crazy." Fatima releases a deep sigh.

Zac takes a step back. "What was the call about T? I know you were fake sleeping in the car"

Fatima brings her hands to his. " I really don't know how to say what I need to say"

"just say it Fatima. You making me nervous." Zac is looking at her suspiciously

"It's just that... Well.. I heard.." Fatima is stumbling over her words

"Tima!" Zac added some bass to his voice growing frustrated.

"Karen called me and I guess it was by accident because when I picked up I heard her screaming about Gary."

"What about Gary?"

"She said that she would tell Andi that they slept together on her own terms and to stop calling her phone and that the was no chance the baby could be his." Fatima blurted it out so quickly she gasped for air when she was done.

Zac lets go of Fatima's hands. He is standing there with a blank face. He heard what she said but he was still processing. He counts to ten in his head as he feels the rage building. Still silent, Zac turns off the shower and steps out.

Fatima is watching him from the shower stall trying to figure out how he's taking the news.

Zac continues with business as usual. Moisturizes puts on a pair of black pajama bottoms then gets in bed.

Fatima follows his lead. When she joins him in bed she calls out to him. "Zac.."

"I'm good Fatima. Thanks for telling me." Is all he said before turning off his bedside lamp and going to sleep.

An hour passes and Fatima is wide awake staring off into the darkness. She hears Zac lightly snoring and decides to watch TV downstairs. It wasn't until four in the morning that Fatima finally let her mind relax enough to fall asleep on the couch.

The next morning Zac wakes up alone in bed around 7 am. He braces for the force that is Fatima who will surely want to discuss the information she gave him last night. He gets out the bed and sees Fatima moving about downstairs fully dressed. He decides to head downstairs and get it over with.

Fatima sees Zac coming down the stairs just as she was tying her sneaker laces to head out. "Good morning babe." Fatima says pleasantly. "I left you a parfait in the fridge. I'm about to go for a run with Phoenix. Do you need anything before I go?

Zac is stunned by her calm demeanor. "uhh.. No. I'm straight." If she wasn't going to bring it up, neither was he.

"Ok, later babe" Fatima blows Zac a kiss and rushes out the door.

Once he heard Fatima's call put out the driveway Zac calls Karen. Her phone goes straight to voicemail. He Dialed Andi's number next. She answered on the third ring.

"Hey Zac. I didn't forget about you. I haven't had a chance to speak to Karen yet but I emailed you over the list about ten minutes ago.

"Thanks Andi. But that's not why I'm calling. Umm.. Can I meet you at the office? I need to talk to you in person." Zac asks aware that she has no idea what he's about to tell her.

"Sure.. Can you be here within the hour? My afternoon is kinda packed."

"Yea I can be there in twenty."

"Is everything ok Zac? What is it?" Andi asks with a bit of skepticism.

"I'd rather not say over the phone. Ill be there in a minute."

Zac picks up his phone to text his wife. "headed out too see Andi. Call me when you make it home. Love you"